As a driver with 176 points on his driver’s license, Fury STILL has no driving ban

A driver in his 20s with 176 penalty points is among more than 10,000 offenders still on the road when they would normally be banned from driving – prompting calls for a crackdown.

The figures from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) were branded ‘shocking’ by a leading road safety charity, which said such drivers should be forced to undergo extra training.

The 26-year-old with 176 points is one of three male license holders with more than 100 points.

A 50-year-old woman also has 96 points.

Details on how long the points were collected were not released.

Normally, drivers receive a six-month suspension if they earn twelve or more points in a three-year period.

But leniency is applied if offending motorists can convince a court that a ban would result in “exceptional hardship,” which could be related to their ability to work or care for their family.

Points remain on a license for years after a ban has been served.

Courts have previously promised to crack down on repeat offenders who take advantage of this loophole.

The Sentencing Council published new sentencing guidelines at the Magistrates’ Court in 2020 to prevent motorists claiming a driving ban will cause exceptional hardship.

It ruled that loss of employment as a result of a driving disqualification is no longer sufficient in itself to demonstrate exceptional hardship.

Since October 1, 2020, offenders must prove that the loss of their driver’s license is more than just an inconvenience.

However, the crackdown was unsuccessful, as the number of drivers on the road increased by more than a dozen points, the rules were introduced.

A total of 10,056 drivers hold a valid driver’s license despite having achieved at least 12 points (compared to around 9,000 in 2020) and 53 people have at least 30 points.

Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, part of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: ‘These shocking statistics raise the question of whether the definition of exceptional hardship needs to be revised.

“At a minimum, those with 12 or more points on their driver’s license should be required to complete additional training, even if they are allowed to keep their license.”

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, an automotive research charity, said: ‘Exceptional hardship has to be truly exceptional.

‘A little more transparency in the system could ensure that there is the right balance between personal mobility and our collective security.’

Points are awarded after convictions for offenses such as careless driving (three to nine points), drink driving (three to eleven) and speeding (three to six).

Points for lower level speeding offenses – which are handed out when a driver is unfit or unable to complete a speed awareness course – are normally added to the driver’s license without going to court.

Points remain on the driver’s license for four to eleven years after an offense has been committed, meaning some people with multiple driving convictions are legally allowed to drive because they have served a period of disqualification.

The DVLA figures do not show how many motorists avoided a ban despite receiving 12 points. Details of the individual drivers who achieved the highest totals were not available.

The DVLA said it records information from courts and has no influence on sentences.

Where the 12-point threshold is met but no disqualification is imposed, the agency says it will contact the relevant court to check whether this is intended.